Mickey Mouse turns 90

Walt Disney’s Mickey Mouse has celebrated his 90th birthday, after making his popular debut in ‘Steamboat Willie’ on November 18, 1928.

The mouse was originally called Mortimer Mouse, but Disney’s wife didn’t like it. So he decided to call him ‘Mickey’ .

The iconic mouse is one of the most recognisable images in the world and has appeared in short animations, tv shows and full-length films. Mickey Mouse has been the enduring symbol of Walt Disney’s multi-billion dollar brand.

Binding generations together more than any other animated character, Mickey Mouse reminds people of laughter, optimism and hope. With his universal appeal and ability to emotionally connect with generations all over the world, no other character quite occupies a similar space in the hearts and minds the fan base.

Mickey became the first cartoon character to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on November 18, 1978, in honour of his 50th anniversary. The star is located on 6925 Hollywood Boulevard.

Mickey Mouse’ feature film debut in Fantasia in 1940 as the Sorcerer’s Apprentice was one of his most famous roles ever. The film introduced stereophonic sound to motion pictures through a special sound system called Fantasound and cost US$2.28 million to make.